


Matches

by SailorLestrade



Category: The Beatles
Genre: Arson, Based on a Music Video, Broken Heart, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 07:41:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2499947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorLestrade/pseuds/SailorLestrade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Paul meet at a bar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Matches

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU based off the Sammy Kershaw song “The Matches”. It’s a really good song. If you’re not really into country you may not enjoy it, but I decided to make a story to it. Enjoy!

Paul was sitting at the bar, sipping on shots of whiskey. It’d been years since his lovely Jane had left him all alone. Anymore, he just drank to dull the pain. He didn’t bother trying to find anyone else to fill the void. Jane left him because he told her he was gay. He thought they would still remain friends, even if he wasn’t physically attracted to her anymore. But that wasn’t the case and now he felt all alone.

As he set there, a handsome man set on the worn bar stool by him and ordered a drink. Paul looked over at him, unable to take his eyes off of him...until he saw the wedding ring. That was an almost automatic turn off. That was until the guy slipped it off and dropped it into the ash tray. He fished out a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket but seemed to lack a way to light it.

“Damn it.” He hissed. Paul grabbed one of the match books that laid on the bar.

“May I?” He asked. The man looked at him as Paul lit one of the matches. He smiled.

“Sure.” He put the cigarette in his mouth and tilted his head forward so the tip could hit the flame. He smiled at it caught. “Thanks.”

“I’m Paul.” Paul said as he blew out the match and tossed it in an ash tray.

“John.” John said. “What brings you here?”

“Long story.” Paul said. “You?” John looked at the ring by the smoldering match and sighed.

“Same.”

Throughout the night, they made small talk and flirted with each other. John was a musician, Paul was a producer, working for EMI. That really got John’s attention and he was practically drooling over Paul for the rest of the night. Paul was really enjoying the attention. Neither talked about the path that had led them there. They were both glad that they had picked this seat to sit in.

At one, when the bar closed, John took the match book that Paul had used to light his cigarette and wrote his name and number on the inside of the cover. He drew a little heart by his name and handed it to Paul with a smile.

“Call me sometime.” He said. With that, he headed out of the bar and headed to his car. Paul smiled down at the book. He would jump on that offer within the next two days.

****

Six Months Later

****

John had moved in with Paul not long after their meeting, and not long after that, Paul got John signed with EMI. Paul did it because he was madly in love with John. John accepted because all he wanted was to boost his career and show his ex-wife what she was missing. She got custody of their son in the divorce, but he was going to make sure he was well taken care of.

Paul had a long day at the office and all he wanted to do was go home, make a cup of tea, and curl up on the couch with John to watch a bad movie. He was happy to loosen his tie and leave to office to head home. He was smiling, even though there was a nagging feeling in his chest telling him something was wrong.

He parked his car and headed up the front steps. He twisted the doorknob but the door was locked. Paul’s smile fell because John rarely locked the door. He put his key in the lock. It had a strange, hollow clicking noise. Paul unlocked the door and let it open. He soon got his answer why the lock had been hallow.

The house was empty, white walls showing. Everything him and John had bought together was gone, as well as all of John’s stuff. Paul ran around, looking everywhere. Everything was gone. Tears wailed in his eyes. His life was gone. He felt like his heart had been torn out and used for a baseball. It was worse then when Jane had left him. This time he was actually head over heels in love. Had he done or said something wrong? Had John really been that unhappy?

As he thought about what he may have done, he spotted an old, white matchbook. Paul shakily picked it up and looked at it. On the outside cover was the logo from the bar that him and John had met at. He flipped it open and on the inside of the cover was John’s name and number with a heart drawn by it, all faded. There was only one match missing from the book. Paul clutched it in his hand and stood up.

He needed a drink.

****

Paul ordered up a whiskey as he set at the bar, thinking about life. He looked around at all the couples sitting in the booths, enjoying a nice meal to the jukebox. They were all wasting their time, because it would just end up in misery. That’s the way Paul saw it. People just setting themselves up for broken hearts. As he looked around, he spotted a familiar face. Jane was there with a new boyfriend. Paul grabbed his drink and stumbled over to their booth.

“Well howdy Miss Jane.” Paul said as he flopped in the booth by her. “Long time no see, eh?”

“Paul? What are you doing here?” Jane asked, smelling the whiskey on Paul’s breath.

“Jane, sweetheart, who’s this?” Her date asked. Paul offered his hand to him.

“Paul McCartney, Jane’s ex.” Paul said. “I used to be the love of her life.” Her date looked at Paul then Jane.

“Max, he’s crazy.” Jane said. “I left him because he was gay.”

“Oh...” Max said.

“And she’ll leave you just the same because she makes men gay.” Paul said. “You’ll get you’re heart broken and she’ll still have a hold of your balls.”

“Paul!” Jane said. “That’s enough. Leave us alone.”

“Scared of the truth Janie?” Paul asked. Jane got up and took Max’s hand.

“Come on Max. Let’s go dance.” Jane said. Her and Max left Paul. He glared at them, then headed back to the bar. He was so angry at the world, so alone. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette and instead found a book of matches. He took them out and looked at them. He opened them and pulled one match out and lit it. He tossed it into the ashtray and let it burn itself out. He did that a couple times, all the memories flashing to life and burning out with that matches. He finally forced himself to stand up to get some air, but something in his heart wouldn’t let him let go. 

And that’s when he snapped.

He threw his glass at the bottles on the shelves behind the bar, successfully getting everyones attention, from the guys playing pool to the bartender, who called 911. Paul knocked all the glassware off the bar then grabbed the book of matches, lighting another match then using it to light the book. He tossed the book behind the counter, where the alcohol had began to puddle. It caught instantly and spread to the other bottles that were still sitting on the shelves. The wall caught fire. Paul heard women scream and people running for the door. He smiled and headed for the door.

Everyone was gathered outside in the parking lot as the cool air surrounded them and helped cool them down from the fire. Sirens grew close as Paul walked out of the bar. The windows exploded behind him, making his act of vandalism look like some multi million dollar Hollywood production. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. The fire that had been burning in his heart ever since that first night that him and John had talked was finally unleashed and now consuming the old wooden building that had started their love.

He looked around the parking lot. Max was hugging a hysterical Jane, who was talking to the police. She looked over and saw him. Crying, she pointed him out to the police. They grabbed him and slapped handcuffs on him. He didn’t even fight it. He was just glad he had been able to get his anger off his chest and out of his head. He thought he finally had John out of his mind for good.

That was until a yellow car pulled into the parking lot and the driver climbed out, watching the flames reach for the star filled sky as the place burned to the ground. It was John, with his son sleeping in the backseat. He was on the verge of crying as he watched the place that had so many memories burn down. He looked over at the police car then, his eyes locking with the arsonist.

“Paul?” He whispered to himself. Paul watched John as the police car pulled away.

He would never be able to get John out of his head.

End

**Author's Note:**

> Please review!! It means the world to me.


End file.
